Crimson Sacrifice
by Lil'Edthehacker40
Summary: One sister... must kill the other. The gang is trapped in the lost village when Raine starts acting strange. Ghost will rise to attack and help. Will they escape before the Crimson Ritual is to be performed? Implied Colloyd, Sheelos, Gesea, Kraine.
1. Chapter 1

Lil' Ed: MWHAHAHA! Horror story time! Hehehe…

Regal: _(Backs away)_

Lil' Ed? What?

Regal: _(ahem)_ She doesn't own Tales or any of the other games produced by Namco.

oOoOoOo

Chapter One: Village Lost in the Mist

oOoOoOo

The ToS group (including Kratos) were caught in a force field. Colette turned out to not  
exactly to be ready to accept the remains of Martel's soul. "I'll give you a deserved  
punishment. A two failed Chosen and a traitor, you will all suffer," Mithos sneered.  
"Doesn't sound that bad," Lloyd muttered. "Don't take this too lightly. Mithos is a...  
horrible person when it comes to this," Kratos commented. "Well, it shouldn't be that bad.  
I'm just sore because I won't see my hunnies for..." Zelos let out a yelp from that wallop  
Sheena gave him. "That's the last thing we need, those chatty women," she hissed. "I  
have a terrible feeling about this," Presea whispered.

"Well it's too late. I wonder if anyone will even live through this," Mithos laughed. A  
haunting pale, crimson light surrounded the characters, warping them to an odd and  
unfamiliar ground. Mithos laughed at the party. "If they don't kill you for your insolence,  
I will later!" he barked.

oOoOoOo

The land was dark, smeared with thick fog and death hanging in the air.. Lloyd shook  
his head and looked around. The rest of his comrades had yet to rise. Colette was next  
to him. Genis as next to Presea, who suddenly stirred. Kratos held close to him Raine  
which Lloyd guessed was a sudden reflex. (yeah, right. Keep thinking that Lloyd) Zelos  
and Sheena awoke at the same time when Zelos groped Sheena for the fourth time of  
that same... day? Was it the same day?

Regal (was in a tree, j/k) was next to a rock with a carving of two girls. They looked  
exactly alike and then suddenly, a dark crimson butterfly appeared and flew through  
a tall red gate. (it's a Shinto gate) Colette arose and started following it out of curiosity.  
"Colette. You shouldn't do that," Raine called and chased after her. Lloyd and Kratos  
got the same scribble bubbles on their heads and followed Raine's pursuit. Presea  
helped Genis stand as she had accidentally landed on him when appearing. Zelos and  
Sheena where having their own little tuff before they raced up the hill with Sheena  
trying to kill Zelos. Regal muttered "kids these days" and walked slowly.

A pulse erupted from the Shinto Gate, making the path in which the group had just  
walked from disappear.

oOoOoOo

Colette was still in hot pursuit of the butterfly before seeing it fly over an odd and musty  
village. She wished to continue her pursuit but. "Wha?" she thought. Her wings wouldn't  
appear like they would. "Colette! You know better than to... Oh my goddess," Raine  
whispered and gazed over the eerie village, no life whatsoever. Lloyd and Kratos  
appeared and looked out over the village too. "Colette? What's the matter?" Lloyd asked.  
"My wings! They won't come out!" she cried. "As won't mine," Kratos added. Raine  
apparently wasn't listening.

"Sis? What's up?" Genis asked but Raine didn't respond. Presea waved her hand in front  
of her face. Raine's eyes were blank as though in thought. "Sheena, I'm sorry! Stop  
chasing me.. Whoa!" Zelos yelled before catching himself from falling off the cliff. Sheena  
almost ran straight into him. Regal's shackles rattled as he walked into the scene. "Ghastly,"  
he mumbled. Several more blood red butterflies appeared fluttering over to and around Raine.

They flew away when she turned to everyone except one that remained on her neck.  
Kratos made an attempt to catch it but it flew in fright. Raine's eyes seemed oddly distant  
and glazed over as though in Ruin Mode, but something was odd. "It must be done, dear  
sister, or they will suffer," those words escaped from her lips. "Professor, what are you  
talking about?" Lloyd asked. "We must stay or the village will be lost forever in the mist.  
We can't let it happen," Raine continued.

She suddenly collapsed. "Sis!" "Professor!"

oOoOoOo

_This is the start of the horror adventure _

_not to be taken lightly. The village lost _

_forever to time, befallen to the failed _

_ritual. The ritual…._

_Where one sister….. _

…_.must kill the other._

_Welcome to what might be the end…_

_CRIMSON SACRIFICE:_

_Tales of Symphonia x Fatal Frame_

oOoOoOo

Lil' Ed: FEAR THE STORY TO BE GORIER AS THE GANG WALKS IN! MWHAHAHA!

Preview of the next installment!

_They find one soul of life but is this woman _

_alive or is she now just a wandering soul….?_

_Chapter Two: The Haunting Woman_


	2. Chapter 2

Lil' Ed: LMAO! Just to tell you the first 8  
chapters are already posted elsewhere but  
I'm editing for Dude, you have issues.

Lil' Ed: I DO NOT!

Lloyd: (sweat drops) She still doesn't own

Tales or Namco.

Lil' Ed: STOP DEPRESSING ME!

oOoOoOo

Chapter Two: The Haunting Woman

oOoOoOo

"Raine! Wake up Raine!" Genis yelled and  
shook his sister to no avail. Raine's eyes  
remained shut as Genis laid her down again.  
Kratos wandered over to Raine and gently  
scooped her up, letting her head rest against  
his chest. "It's best we find a way out, or  
things might get only worse," he said coolly.  
Lloyd and Genis, though uncomfortable at  
his actions, nodded. Lloyd took the lead  
down a dirt path towards the village with the  
rest of the gang following.

"What's this?" he asked and everyone  
stopped to see. "A black bag," Presea said.  
She pulled out two news paper clippings  
and a photo. Scanning the clippings in a few  
short seconds, her stern complexion fell and  
became full of sadness. "Apparently, a man  
came to survey this area and was forgotten  
about a few days later," Presea quietly  
replied. "That's horrible!" Colette  
exclaimed. Sheena nodded in agreement  
before making a double take looking near a  
house. "Uhh, guys?" she whispered and  
pointed. They could make out a woman  
disappearing within a nearby house. Zelos  
looked and said "A local hunny." Regal  
looked confused as did Genis and Presea.  
Lloyd looked wide eyed and Colette  
shivered.

"She's heading in that house. We should  
follow," Lloyd said. "Why exactly?" Sheena  
questioned. "Maybe this person would know  
a way out," Genis replied. "And other than  
that, we can leave a hunny all alone," Zelos  
guffawed earning a smack. "We shouldn't  
stand around," Kratos said and headed  
towards the house and the disappearing  
woman. Lloyd sighed and followed with  
everyone else on foot. A sign on the house  
read 'Osaka.'

oOoOoOo

The Osaka Household

oOoOoOo

"She should be here somewhere, shouldn't  
she?" Colette asked in her bubbly attitude.  
Presea shivered at an odd presence beyond a  
barricaded room. It was a pale woman  
whose hair grew over one eye. She wore a  
pale, white blouse and a tattered black skirt.  
She appeared ghostly compared to the party  
and suddenly, in a split second, vanished.  
Presea gasped and grabbed the door on the  
other side of the entrance hall. "She's inside  
already," she whispered. Everyone but  
Kratos (and the still out Raine) looked  
confused.

They filed into the main room. There was a  
staircase, old and rotten, a hallway with a  
tattered cloth over the entrance, and several  
doors around the room. Lloyd walked down  
the hall to and intersection with two  
hallways and a corner staircase. Looking  
down the hall straight ahead and saw the  
vanishing figure of the same woman again.  
"Lloyd! I found a notebook and..." Colette  
exclaimed but Lloyd covered her mouth for  
a second to listen.

_"I came to find you. Where are you?"_

The ghostly voice of the woman disappeared  
as she traveled down the hall. Lloyd and  
Colette sighed in relief before she handed  
him the notebook. Lloyd read.

#1 Woman's Notebook

_"I've heard rumors about the lost village  
before. Long ago, a massacre occurred on  
the day of a ceremony, and the village was  
wiped from the map. Twin Deities Statues in  
the forest lead lost people to the village  
entrance. Once you passed the gate  
however, you cannot go back. _

_The village eternally relives that night of  
death. The insane laughter of a woman is  
said to echo throughout the village. The  
only survivor of the massacre at the village  
was a lone woman."_

Colette's mouth was agape. "A massacre. Oh  
goddess, this is horrible." Lloyd nodded in  
agreement. "Hey Lloyd! Colette! Let's stay  
together! It's not safe to wander around  
even in groups!" rang Genis' voice. "Ok!  
We're coming Genis!" Lloyd called back.  
As they returned, they could hear Sheena  
reading what sounded like another notebook.

#2 Woman's Notebook

_"Sometimes I sense someone passing by the  
window. He carries a torch, and mutter  
things. He seems to be searching for  
somebody, but it is not Masumi. _

_In the distance, I can hear some kind of sad  
ceremonial song being sung. They say that  
this village vanished on the day of a  
ceremony, and that day is repeated over and  
over again."_

#3 Woman's Notebook

_"__Masumi... It's me, Miyako. _

_I came to look for you. _

_Let's go home together. _

_Together, we can make it. _

_Call for me if you find this. _

_I'll be nearby. _

_Miss You!" _

#4 Woman's Notebook

_"Someone! Anyone! _

_Whoever sees this, look for me. _

_I'm trapped in this village. _

_HELP ME! _

_Miyako Sudo"_

"So this woman is somewhere in here?"  
Genis thought aloud. "Probably, or they're  
dead," Regal calmly replied. A door creaked  
within the hall Lloyd was in. Traveling  
back, he opened it to find it lead into a  
ransacked room. Boxes and scrolls were  
tossed carelessly around the room with  
blood stains among the walls and floors. "A  
light?" Regal questioned and picked up the  
metal object along with notes on something  
called Camera Obscura and another  
notebook. He started reading:

_"The "Camera Obscura" is a special camera  
created by Dr. Aso to capture supernatural  
phenomenon that couldn't be seen with the  
naked eye. It was designed to photograph  
visions of the past and spirit entities, but it  
was a prototype and its functions hadn't  
been fully tested. Photographing "things  
that ordinary people couldn't see" with this  
camera had an exorcism effect. Seijiro  
Makabe, a folklorist who had come to  
investigate All God's Village, borrowed this  
camera from Dr. Aso to photograph the  
village's rumored Forbidden Ritual. Dr.  
Kunihiko Aso was a folklorist who studied  
the spirit world. He modified the latest  
gadgets of his time, the camera, radio and  
projector, trying to create a machine that  
could capture supernatural phenomenon.  
He was shunned by the academic world but  
friends with Makabe."_

#5 Woman's Notebook

_"Sometimes I hear an eerie song-like sound  
coming from the family altar. It sounds like  
it's coming from deep below. Maybe it's just  
the wind? Or maybe there really is  
something behind that wall..."_

No one was really paying any heed. Hitting  
the flashlight several times, Colette got it to  
turn on and waved it around the room  
spotting a camera among the rubble. "Lloyd,  
there's something over there," she said and  
pointed. Lloyd, who was tossing aside  
scrolls, picked up the camera with some  
interest but dropped it suddenly. A vivid  
image had flashed in his mind.

oOoOoOo

"_So this is Camera Obscura…." The man  
said. The forest was dark and foreboding;  
the fog swimming lazily through the leering  
trees. He walked steadily towards a group  
of boulders, covered with ropes and  
talismans. He raised the camera to his face,  
looking through the lens at the tome like  
structure. Before he could react, gray  
ghostly hands reached towards him in an  
attempt to kill._

_In shock, he stumbled back dropping the  
camera, the hands disappearing without its  
aid. "This is too dangerous," he muttered,  
rising to his feet and walking away, camera  
in hand._

oOoOoOo

"Lloyd? What's wrong?" Colette asked  
before a scratching at the door was heard.  
Carefully, Regal cracked the door open a bit  
to reveal the ghostly woman again, her hair  
draped over her right eye still. Lloyd  
fumbled but snapped a picture. The woman  
disappeared and the door swung open.  
"Cool," he said.

A scream was heard from within the house.  
They raced out.

oOoOoOo

Kratos and Raine were inside the Big Tatami  
Room when she awoke. There,  
unfortunately, was a blanket with a human  
shaped lump and the woman appeared  
again. Raine just woke up, confused and  
wasn't ready for either encounter and was  
holding onto Kratos as though her life  
depended on it. Kratos wasn't ready either  
for Raine's scream or the ghost, and held  
onto Raine as she calmed down. A board  
fell next to them a few seconds later and a  
key.

"What happened?" Genis exclaimed  
entering the room. Kratos still held onto the  
shivering Raine and threw the key to Genis.  
"See what that works on," he ordered. Genis  
nodded and left coming face to face with  
everyone else. "That key should work for  
the door upstairs," Sheena said dragging  
Zelos with her. "Yes it should. Ouch!  
Sheena, can you let go now?" he whined.  
"Okay, let's go then," Lloyd said.

oOoOoOo

(Skipping sum stuff like walking up the old  
stairs)

After snapping another picture of the woman  
upstairs crossing through the rooms, Sheena  
and Zelos retrieved four more notebooks in  
which they started reading.

#6 Woman's Note

_"How much time has passed since I came  
here? How long will this night last?  
I can't take the darkness. It's driving me  
crazy... I have to get out of here! I have to  
see Masumi."_

#7 Woman's Note

_"I must be tired. If I start to relax, I pass out.  
Even in a crazy place like this. The darkness  
here is creeping into my dreams. Slaughter,  
rivers of blood, fallen people, and a woman  
in a bloodstained kimono, insane laughter,  
and twin sisters calling out "Don't kill me!" _

_That woman's laugh is seared into my mind.  
I don't want to sleep anymore."_

#8 Woman's Notebook

_"Masumi found my note. _

_He WAS in the village! _

_I can see him soon. _

_I can't move... _

_I'll wait here. _

_He'll be back _

_He'll find the way out. _

_If he comes back _

_(empty page) _

_(empty page) _

_He came" _

Folklorist 1

_"The Ceremony Master, Mr. Kurosawa, gave  
me a very warm welcome. The village has  
no "chief". The Ceremony Master presides  
over the village. I wonder if this village was  
founded by people who wanted to preserve  
their sacred rituals and festivals? _

_Most notable among All God's folklore is the  
"gate to hell" legend that has been passed  
down for years. It is an archetypal tale of a  
gate or hole that marks the border to the  
world of the dead, also called Hades, the  
underworld, or the netherworld. _

_It is a forbidden place that is feared and  
hated, but it is also worshipped as well. The  
idea of hell has been a core belief of humans  
since ancient times. This village  
supports the theory that the belief is  
universal. _

_The Forbidden Ritual regarding this "gate to  
hell" that takes place here is something no  
one is allowed to see or speak of. This strict  
taboo is probably the result of a ceremony  
concerning the border with hell coming  
closer to the living world. _

_Villagers lead a simple life. Deep in the  
mountains, they struggle to forage food for  
their daily meals. The village has little  
contact with the outside world. They  
continue to practice the ways of old, frozen  
in time."_

As Lloyd gazed over the scraps and  
notebooks, Colette, Genis, Presea, Sheena,  
Zelos, and Regal backed into the walls in  
fright. Lloyd only then felt an unearthly  
presence on his left shoulder. There she  
was, Miyako Sudo, her hair covering her  
right eye and a feeling of malice within.

oOoOoOo

Lil' Ed: Longer than the last chapter.  
HAHA…

Lloyd: Your scaring people, ya know?

Lil' Ed: …….. Cool.

_Preview of the Next Chapter:_

_With hatred boiling within her, Miyako  
attacks the group. Her icy gray hands  
stretch out to Lloyd's neck._

_Chapter 3: First Fight_


	3. Chapter 3

Lil' Ed: Miyako's out for blood!  
HAHAHA!

Genis: Bl-blood! As in (stabs Regal  
and Regal falls) that blood?

Lil' Ed: (sweat drops) Let's not kill  
next chapters muse Genis.

Genis: Ok….. (coughs) She does not  
own Namco.

oOoOoOo

Chapter 3: First Fight

oOoOoOo

Lloyd stumbled back as the Miyako  
reached for his neck with her cold grey  
hands, her eyes glaring at him. He  
moved away to escape the grip but felt  
the hands tighten on his wrist.

He yelled as his sleeve tore to shreds,  
blood escaping from deep opening cuts  
on his arm. A flash illuminated the  
room forcing Miyako to scream and  
fall back, freeing Lloyd's arm in the  
process. His blood dripped  
continuously onto the ground, making  
him grasp the wounds. Zelos came  
over and attempted to cast First Aid.  
His mana charged but then  
disappeared. "What the hell!" Zelos  
yelled and tried again. No such luck.  
"Don't worry right now! We have to  
think of something!" Lloyd  
commanded.

"Like this?" Genis called and threw  
something towards Lloyd. The small  
notebook he caught was labeled 'Spirit  
Capture.' "Read fast please!" Genis  
yelped and leapt away from Miyako's  
killing grasp. Lloyd started reading as  
fast as he could before "Lloyd!  
Move!" Sheena yelled. Lloyd whipped  
around to face Miyako's cold black  
eyes wide, arms outstretched towards  
his throat again when he fell, another  
flash illuminated the room forcing her  
away. "The Camera Obscura! Pick it  
up!" Zelos chirped and hopped away  
from Miyako's stumbling form before  
she disappeared.

Lloyd picked up the little dark brown  
box whose flash finished fading away  
and recharged. The symbols around  
the frame started to glow with flickers.  
Raising it to his face and looking  
through, he saw that the filament was a  
dark orange. But the strange thing was  
that he only saw Presea through the  
lens. The filament brightened still. It  
clicked. "Presea! Get away from the  
wall!" he barked. Presea rolled away  
from the wall from the sudden order  
but turned to find two ghostly hands.  
Lloyd hit the button, snapping a  
picture of Miyako and forcing her to  
disappear.

"We need more cameras," Genis said.  
Sheena threw a piece of rubble at  
Genis making him yelp. "This is no  
time to be smart! We'll have to act as  
decoys but try to stay away from her  
grasp," she said. Regal nodded in  
agreement. "That seems to be the best  
idea right now." Genis started to nod  
before a blinding flash obscured his  
vision for a second. A gasping noise  
was heard behind Genis and he  
whipped around as the ghost stumbled  
back. "Genis, try NOT to get  
attacked," Lloyd stated. Genis snorted,  
rising along with Presea. Everyone  
started wandering around the room as  
bait and Regal jumped back as Miyako  
appeared after him. After getting a  
good distance, Regal stood still as  
Lloyd aimed the camera's lens.  
Miyako surprised everyone when she  
suddenly warped in front of Lloyd,  
hands stretched for his neck. Lloyd  
quickly took the picture dealing a great  
amount of damage. Miyako again  
reeled back in pain, disappearing into  
the wall.

Minutes passed when a sob  
was heard ringing around the room.  
"_Where did you go?"_ a voice asked,  
the sobbing continuing. The aura  
around the room started to shuffle  
from loathing to a dark depression.  
The group looked around the room,  
shuffling nervously as the crying  
stopped.

"Is she gone?" Colette asked, starting to  
walk over to Lloyd before tripping. He  
sweat dropped, motioning to help her  
up when she rolled over and started  
backing up, terror expressed on her  
face. The presence in the air shifted  
again and raising the camera again  
revealed Miyako's return as the  
filament was glowing once more. Out  
of the corner of his eye, the air was  
shifted and warped, a physical being  
started to show. Miyako's clammy  
grey hands were outstretched, a look of  
determination on her pale face and her  
eyes burning with bloodlust. She  
reached closer and closer to Colette  
who in turn finally had backed into the  
wall, trembling from head to toe, blue  
eyes widened in fear. "Colette!" Lloyd  
yelled and snapped an ending shot as  
the filament turned red again.

Miyako didn't only stumble but  
screamed and collapsed to the ground.  
_"I... don't want... to kill...  
an...y...more..."_ the words escaped as  
she disappeared. Doors snapped as the  
locks unlocked and hinged making  
them movable again. Something or  
some things appeared on the ground. A  
round glass object, a jagged crystal  
and, to Lloyd's dislike, more notes on  
what the round object was, Spirit  
Lenses. Lloyd helped Colette up as she  
was still shaking from the encounter.

"Lloyd, your arm, it's still bleeding,"  
she whispered and sniffed a bit.  
Lloyd wouldn't blame her, facing a  
ghost wasn't a daily occurrence. "Don't  
worry about it Colette. I'll bandage it  
up and it will be good as new," Lloyd  
replied quietly, pulling her into a hug.  
Colette wept quietly for a while but  
shook violently from the fear and  
oncoming tears.

Lloyd hissed at a sudden stinging  
feeling on his wounds. Colette looked  
up with reddened eyes but looked over  
at Presea. In her hands was a wooden  
vial full with strong smelling green  
liquid. The stinging lessened making  
Lloyd looked at his sleeveless arm.  
The blood had stopped flowing but the  
wounds were shutting. Around the  
deep carvings in his skin, they reached  
and bound together, leaving no trace of  
them ever being there. Lloyd looked  
back at Colette with a grin. Colette  
returned the smile with a slight sniffle.  
While those two were off in there own  
world, Genis examined the glowing  
stone, the notes, just basically  
everything the ghost left. When Regal  
returned with a box. It looked like an  
ancient radio. Genis snatched the radio  
from Regal after reading through the  
notes. Genis, unlike Lloyd, read the  
notes out of interest and inserted the  
crystal (aragonite) into the slot.

_"Masumi..._

_where did you go...?_

_without you..._

_I'm..."_

_(cut off)_

"Uh, what is that?" Sheena asked  
"Something called a Spirit Stone  
Radio. It plays thoughts left within  
stones such as this aragonite," Genis  
said, "Boy, will Raine have... a... wait.  
Where's Raine and Kratos!" Zelos  
rushed to the door and slid it open.  
"Ask them. They're ready to leave!" he  
yelled. Zelos almost got trampled as  
everyone ran to see Raine and Kratos  
standing at the door. "Something's...  
not right," Presea said. Something was  
definitely wrong and it was confirmed  
when Genis called for her. "I'm...  
sorry," she quietly said and turned  
opening the door. Genis rushed down  
the stairs to stop her but Kratos  
unsheathed his blade, placing it right at  
his neck on the sharp side.

Kratos' mahogany eyes were glaring  
deep, sending chills down everyone's  
spine. A hand touched his shoulder. He  
blinked, his eyes flashing red as they  
turned to look back at Raine. When  
she spoke, it wasn't her voice. _"Not  
now. We've been summoned. We must  
go or he'll be angry," _her voice  
wispily stated. Kratos growled but  
nodded. Raine exited the house into  
the Entrance Hall. Kratos sheathed his  
sword and walked through the door. A  
small click was heard.

Genis was quaking and fell to his  
knees. Why? Why was this happening?  
He beat the ground. "What's going  
on!" he yelled to no one.

oOoOoOo

_So, they made it through the first_

_obstacle. Too bad its only part one._

_In the village, the fog has yet to rise _

_nor the sun to shine. A haunting song _

_hangs in the air as Crimson _

_Butterflies appear._

oOoOoOo

Lil' Ed: Well, here's this chapter  
hehe...

Genis: Oo

Lil' Ed: What? (#) Anyway,  
preview time!

_Preview of the Next Chapter:_

Trapped still in the Osaka house still,  
the group looks for a way out. Even if  
they get out, can they save their  
comrades?

_Chapter 4: Possessed Pair_


	4. Chapter 4

Lil' Ed: This chapter was due for editing too. Sly! Stop stealing my stuff!

Sly: Caught red handed again!

Lil' Ed: Yes! Now leave before I get Carmelita!

Sly: Ah! The lovely and ever so fair Inspector!

Lil' Ed: ... (Hits a red button) Carmelita! I have Cooper!

Sly: ... That's so wrong.

oOoOoOo

Chapter 4: Possessed Pair

oOoOoOo

Genis tugged furiously at the door. Some odd force was keeping him away from his sister  
from him and now a door was jammed. "Genis, there's some force keeping the door shut,"  
Colette said. Everyone looked at her. "A force?" Lloyd finally voiced after a few second.  
"Yeah. I think you can take a picture of it," she replied. Lloyd shrugged but took a picture  
anyway. The film developed and showed a brazier. "I guess exploring the house in pair's  
works?" Regal suggested. Colette grabbed Lloyd's hand in an instant. Genis stood next to  
Presea with Regal hovering overhead. Sheena gave up but smacked Zelos who laughed and  
rubbed his cheek. "Before we split, Lloyd, attach this to the camera," Zelos grinned and  
held out a lens and a note with a gear attached to it.

(I'm not mentioning hidden or vanishing ghosts unless they're of importance and also the  
film types.)

"Measure function. Shows strength of attacking ghosts. Yeah, this should come in handy,"  
Lloyd said, equipping it to the camera. "Ok, Zelos and Sheena, check the room down the  
hall and to the left. Genis, Presea, and Regal, check the room straight down the hall.  
Colette and I will check this room." Lloyd slid the door he was talking about and it opened  
to a room full of decaying Kimonos hanging around and a lit lantern. Everyone split to  
explore.

(Sheena and Zelos)

"My voluptuous hunny, maybe this is the brazier bud was talking about," Zelos said.  
Sheena looked at the ancient brazier within the room and examined it. She stood, holding a  
key in her hand. "Well, lets…. Zelos, what are you reading?" she asked, her curiosity  
getting the better of her. "Village Reports. Here," he said, and handed the notes over.

Village Report #1

_For some reason, one of the statues is in the form of twins. I have also found a description  
of a "Twin Deities Statue" in the writings lying around the house..._

_In this region, twins serve an unusual purpose. Twins sisters and brothers perform a  
special ritual here. Each time a ritual is completed, a new Twin Deities Statue is placed  
somewhere in the village._

_The ritual occurs every few decades, and judging by the number of Twin Deities Statues,  
this tradition is very old. For some reason, one of the twins always has its head broken off.  
Sometimes they are sculpted without a head from the start._

_Maybe it doesn't mean anything, but something here doesn't feel right. I'm beginning to  
think that I was wrong to leave Miyako behind alone._

_Unfortunately, I was unable to find any detailed information about the twin ritual. I have to  
find a way to get out of here fast..._

Village Report #2

_I looked down into the old well but it was pitch black, and I couldn't see a thing. If you  
listen closely, you can only hear wind blowing, and it seems that the water has all been  
dried up. I can't tell which was here first, the house or the well. Neither has been used in a  
while._

_According to the records, this house used to belong to the powerful Tsuchihara family. In  
the village, the Osaka, Kiryu, and Tachibana families were also influential. Each house  
had its own crest, and held power in the village. As a group they were also in charge of a  
special ritual._

_Each was a branch of the Kurosawa family, who administered to the ceremony. They  
performed the role of priests. The Kurosawa name is scattered throughout the literature,  
but no concrete information is written. I have no doubt that they held absolute power  
though._

_Where in the world did the villagers go? And how do you get out of this village? The  
answers to these questions lie within the Kurosawa house. I'm not sure how I know, but I  
have a strong feeling about this._

Village Report #3

_I found a small shrine at the top of a long set of stairs, shrouded in mist._

_It seems very old, but it is well-made, and has not fallen into disrepair._

_The entrance has a large butterfly crest painted on it. It's the same as the one on the  
building beyond the large bridge._

_Butterflies seem to have a special meaning, just like twins. They are frequently mentioned  
in the ritual literature. "Butterfly" means something else to the villagers too. I notice that  
the word always appears in writings about the ritual._

_I may not know its exact meaning, but the fact that the butterfly crest is on a shrine  
indicates that it is very special indeed. I should investigate further._

Village Report #4

_I came to this hill to take a look at the gate I passed through when I entered the village. But  
when I tried to find it, the ruined gate was buried under trees and other flora. I can't find  
the path that we used to come here..._

_This hill is called "Misono Hill". According to literature, this location plays a key role in  
the ceremony. Right in the middle lays a massive rock, known as the "Offering Stone", and  
the surrounding area is protected by wards. This "Offering Stone" also seems to be a  
"Cover" for sealing some kind of hole. What sort of hole needs a gigantic stone like this  
for a cover? Why does it need to be covered at all?_

_What if this is the very thing I've been searching for, the way out of the village? I have to  
check this out thoroughly._

"This still doesn't explain what's happened to Kratos and Raine," Sheena muttered. She  
flipped through the pages and dropped it abruptly. Zelos picked it up. The man appeared  
dead in the picture. No emotions were within his white eyes and his face was covered in  
various cuts and slashes upon his face. "I feel somewhat sick now," Zelos gagged.

(Genis, Presea, and Regal)

They explored the room thoroughly, the cabinets, the boxes, and examined the blanketed  
form finding that even the blanket couldn't be lifted. "All we found is an Herbal Medicine  
right?" Genis asked. Regal and Presea nodded. Very uneventful for the unfortunate group.  
They left to meet up with Sheena and Zelos.

(Lloyd and Colette)

"Doesn't seem like anything's in here," Lloyd mumbled and continued exploring the small  
Kimono Room. "Lloyd! I found another Herbal Medicine!" Colette exclaimed excitedly  
from the small closet and grabbed it. Within that same closet, a box lid slid off. A ghastly  
grey hand reached over the edge. Colette retreated back and stumbled next to the now unlit  
lantern. Another hand emerged. Both hands lifted there owner out. Slick, long black hair  
fell over its owner's face. The ghostly figure crumbled on the floor before standing up.  
The figure took a step, swaying with the movement, small blood stains on its kimono. It  
came closer and closer towards the two teens. (Looks like Sumara from The Ring)

"Lloyd! Colette! Open the door!" came a muffled yelled. The sliding door rattled in an  
attempt to open. "Genis! Something's keeping the door shut! We can't get out!" Colette  
cried. The ghost had paused but started craning its head towards Colette. Some strains of  
hair fell to the side showing the sunken face of a woman. Lloyd pulled out the camera and  
the new gear worked as soon as he aimed it at the woman. "The door must be jammed  
because of a ghost! Hurry! Beat the ghost!" Sheena yelled through the door. The ghostly  
woman was now confused by Sheena's voice but soon continued its slow progress to  
Colette. The woman stood up and ran at Colette, Lloyd took that chance.

The woman proved to be weak as she collapsed, the echoing cries of a baby ringing within  
the room as she disappeared. The door clicked open and everyone fell in, Genis getting  
crushed. "Found some notes!" Zelos said happily in a sing song voice. "It looks like this  
village held a special ritual that was unmentionable to outsiders," Sheena said as everyone  
scanned the notes. "That's not exactly explaining what's happened to Raine and Kratos,"  
Presea said, frowning. "But, we can go into the rest of the village and find out," Sheena  
winked, twirling the key on her index finger. They all walked out of the Kimono Room  
after getting Genis up and opened the door into the entrance corridor. Lying in the dim  
light was the exsphere that remained on a bracelet that Raine wore. Holding the Spirit  
Stone Radio out, he popped it in before anyone could stop him.

"_Crimson... Butterfly..._

_It's calling me..._

_Calling me deep into the village..._

_No... it's not us..."_

"Crimson Butterfly?" Colette asked. Lloyd shrugged and Genis became deep in thought.  
Presea turned her head confused, Sheena stood and Zelos had a 'What the hell?' plastered  
on his face. Regal finally spoke. "The butterfly Colette chased wasn't that Crimson? And  
those other ones from Misono Hill, the ones that surrounded Raine, they were Crimson  
too." They looked at him, shocked, knowing he was right. "Let's get to the bottom of this  
please," Genis grumbled and opened the door, leading into the crisp village air. Sheena  
whipped her head around and saw a fleeting shadow. As she raced off, everyone followed,  
seeing the person disappear after turning the corner too. The person joined another in front  
of a set of giant doors. It was Raine and Kratos.

"Sis! Where are you going?" Genis yelled but she didn't hear. They disappeared beyond  
the door which slowly closed. Lloyd and Zelos ran forward and attempted to catch the  
door but slammed shut, throwing the two away. Two keys were needed. A force that  
Lloyd took a picture of showed a cluster of Butterflies.

The atmosphere changed once more. Three ghosts appeared once more carrying a sickle, a  
torch, and a long pole. The group split to end the fight quickly.

oOoOoOo

The last ghost fell to the ground. "Hey, Raine's exsphere is glowing," Colette said and took  
the charm out. It glowed brightly. Genis grabbed it and stuck it in the Radio again to see if  
it was something new. It was.

"_Pass through a large gate,_

_over a bridge,_

_inside a big house..._

_There are many..._

_many dead..._

_Upstairs, there are dolls..._

_the head..."_

Butterflies started appearing in small groups, beckoning for the weary group to follow.  
Colette's curiosity got the better of her once more as she followed the clusters forcing the  
rest to follow suite.

oOoOoOo

Everyone made there way under the crawl space. The area seemed, peaceful, unlike the rest  
of the village. Crimson Butterflies flew threw the fences and walls of a bared building.

"Yae? Sae?" a young, silver haired boy asked. "Did Sae go to the Mansion? You must find  
the keys within the statues around the village. Hurry! It's the only way if the next Kusabi  
fails!" The group was confused. Who were Sae and Yae? What the hell is a Kusabi? It  
didn't matter much right now to wonder, so out the group went for the keys.

(Collected the keys, more ghost battles, blah)

Everyone stood, anticipation hung thick in the air as Lloyd placed the two Twin Statue  
Keys in there places. The lock clicked and with Zelos' help, the door was opened. A  
bridge stretched far to a Mansion sitting on top a large island. The group walked carefully  
across the rotting boards and planks. A hole appeared every now and then but they made  
there way across. (I skipped the ghost encounter. It's not very important )

They climbed the stairs, entering the old courtyard. They strolled to the door and enter the  
Mansion. The inside was large and roomy but had anger, fear and other such emotions  
hanging the air. "Lloyd! The flashlight!" Colette exclaimed quietly. Turning to the  
flashlight, they watched it flicker and die as the fleeing image of a girl wearing a white  
kimono stained with blood down the front going down the hall.

oOoOoOo

Lil' Ed: (Snickers) This chapter is... light in violence compared to later. (Breaks out  
laughing)

Sly: ... This is not funny.

Lil' Ed: Yes it is. (Laughing even more)

Carmelita: I have to agree with Ringtail. Not funny.

Lil' Ed: When two people who like each other and don't admit it get tied together by a  
crazed teen matchmaker? No... It's hilarious!

oOoOoOo

Preview for the Next Chapter:

oOoOoOo

_Bodies lay bleeding as a bound man stands  
before. Enter the Kusabi, the tortured  
sacrifice left as food for the dead._

_**Chapter 5: The Repentance Part. 1**_


End file.
